Salt Lake City--In the January 2009 edition of Utah Business Magazine, eight Salt Lake County Deputy District Attorneys were named as Utah’s Legal Elite in the areas of criminal, government, and land use law. Legal Elite lawyers are nominated by state Bar members, and nominations are then screened by a blue ribbon panel of judges.
Criminal Law
Alicia H. Cook – Ms. Cook clerked for the District Attorney’s Office starting in September of 1998, and was hired as a prosecutor after graduating from the University of Utah College of Law in 2000. She has been a member of the Special Victim and Domestic Violence Specialty Teams, and is currently the Public Information Officer for the District Attorney’s Office and is a member of the office’s administrative team.
Sandi Johnson – Ms. Johnson first joined the District Attorney’s Office as a law clerk in 2000. She graduated from the University of Utah College of Law in 2002, and was hired as a prosecutor that same year. Ms. Johnson has been a member of the Narcotics Team, and has gained special expertise in the area of automobile homicides. Ms. Johnson is currently a member of the Gang Prosecution Team, and was given an Outstanding Achievement Award by the 2008 Annual Utah Gang Conference.
Cristina Ortega – Ms. Ortega graduated from the University of Utah College of Law in 2002, and joined the District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor that same year. Ms. Ortega has been a member of the office’s Narcotics and General Felony Teams, and is currently a member of the Special Victim’s Team, which prosecutes all felony sex offenses and all felony offenses involving children.
Robert L. Stott – Mr. Stott graduated from the University of Utah College of Law in 1975. He clerked for a district court judge for one year in Las Vegas, Nevada, then moved to the public defender’s office. After four years in Nevada, Mr. Stott joined the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office as a member of the Career Criminals Unit. Mr. Stott has prosecuted several high-profile defendants, including Ervil LeBaron, Ted Bundy, Joseph Paul Franklin, Arthur Gary Bishop, Ronnie Lee Gardner, Mark Hoffman, and Craig Roger Gregerson. Mr. Stott has been a team leader of the Narcotics, Corruption and White Collar Crime, and Major Felony teams. Mr. Stott has also been the public information officer for the Justice Division. Mr. Stott is currently an Assistant Division Director, supervises all homicide cases, and co-ordinates training for the Justice Division.
David S. Walsh – Mr. Walsh graduated from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1976. Mr. Walsh joined the District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor in 1979. He has been a team leader of the Narcotics, General Trial, Screening, and Juvenile teams. Mr. Walsh is currently the team leader of one of the office’s three General Felony teams. Mr. Walsh is a member of both the California and Utah bars.
Government
Paul Boyden – Mr. Boyden graduated from the University of Utah College of Law in 1975. During his law school years, Mr. Boyden spent eight months in Washington, D.C. as an intern for Congressman Wayne Owens. After graduation, Mr. Boyden entered private practice with the law firm Boyden & Kennedy, until he became a prosecutor for Davis County in 1980. In 1983, Mr. Boyden joined the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor. In 1985, Mr. Boyden was appointed to the Board of Pardons and Parole by Governor Bangerter. Mr. Boyden returned to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office in 1991, when he accepted the position of Executive Director of the Statewide Association of Public Attorneys. As Executive Director, Mr. Boyden represents Salt Lake County and the District Attorney’s Office in legislative and policy matters with the legislature, and agencies and commissions from across the state.
T.J. Tsakalos – Mr. Tsakalos graduated from the University of Utah College of Law in 1979, and joined the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor. Mr. Tsakalos was a member of the Career Criminal Team, which targeted repeat serious criminal offenders. Mr. Tsakalos left the District Attorney’s Office and entered private practice in 1983. Mr. Tsakalos became a partner of the law firm of Hanson, Epperson, & Smith, and in 1993 became a partner in the law firm of Conder, Wangsgard, & Tsakalos. Mr. Tsakalos returned to the District Attorney’s Office in 2001 and joined the Litigation Division, where he is responsible for general litigation and civil rights defense of Salt Lake County and its employees. Mr. Tsakalos provides training for approximately 1,000 deputies and corrections officers relating to legal developments and civil litigation.
Land Use
Thomas L. Christensen – Mr. Christensen obtained his juris doctorate degree from the University of Arizona in 1984 where he was a writer and editor for the Arizona Law Review. Mr. Christensen clerked for the Salt Lake County Attorney’s Office and was hired in the Civil Division in 1985. Mr. Christensen has specialized in health and environmental law, contracts, administrative law, civil rights litigation, construction law and, most recently, land use law. Having been appointed to the South Jordan City Planning Commission followed by two terms on the City Council, Mr. Christensen was appointed Unit Chief of the newly created Land Use and Development Unit in 2006. Mr. Christensen attended a 1996 UN conference in Istanbul as a local government representative and continues to work pro bono for a non-profit, UN accredited NGO that monitors UN policy.
Copyright © 2008 Salt Lake County - All Rights Reserved